Casa Talia

Style

Designers’ playground

Setting

Overlooking ancient Modica

Casa Talia, an intimate seven-room B&B hotel in the heart of Unesco-protected Modica, is the brainchild of two Milanese designers – who have used the hotel as a showcase for their classy stylings. Modern features complement a layout inspired by Sicily's rich cultural past, and the result is a laid-back retreat in the midst of the island's sun-baked countryside.

Facilities

Rooms

All eight rooms, including the two suites, are inspired by Sicily’s past – so expect Greek, Spanish and Arabic flourishes.

Checkout

Noon – though a later check-out may be available, depending on availability; earliest check-in, 2pm.

More Details

Most rates include breakfast; those staying in Deluxe Suites don't have breakfast included but can purchase it for €20 a person.

Also

Unfortunately, the hotel isn't suitable if you have limited mobility. It has several sets of stairs, some of which are quite steep.

Free Internet Access

Laundry

At the Hotel

Free WiFi, air-conditioning, beauty treatments and massages on request. In rooms: king-size beds, flatscreen TVs, private terraces (in all but the two smallest rooms, which share outside space).

Our Favourite Rooms

We love Il Mediterraneo, which comes with high ceilings, a cerulean wall, and ornate blue and white floral tiles behind the bedhead. We also like the pretty, feminine Sirah room, in which there's a beautiful bed dressed in crisp white sheets and an elegant lace coverlet. Its modern bathroom features a sink set on a gorgeous antique sewing table.

Packing Tips

Make the word ‘lightweight’ your mantra when putting your holiday wardrobe together.

Also

The hotel has a minimum two-night stay policy.

Children

Kids are welcome at the hotel, and under-threes stay for free. Extra beds for older children are €50 a night, and babysitting is also available on request.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

When it’s warm, ask for a breakfast table in the garden, where you can eat under the shade of the olive and pomegranate trees.

Dress Code

Country casual – open-necked shirts and diaphanous skirts.

Hotel Restaurant

There is no restaurant at Casa Talia. Breakfast is taken at long wooden tables inside a cool, white cave.

Hotel Bar

There’s no bar, but Viviana and Marco make sure their fridge (situated in a hard-to-find shed) is fully stocked with beer, water, iced tea and coca-cola at all times. All drinks are free.

Planes

The closest airport is Comiso (www.soaco.it), just a 40-minute drive away; planes arrive here from London, Brussels and Rome. Catania Fontanarossa is also nearby, 114km from the hotel, a 90-minute drive away. British Airways (www.ba.com) flies here all year. AST (www.aziendasicilianatrasporti.it) buses run to Modica, where you'll be within a short walk of Casa Talia (the bus journey is just over two hours).

Trains

The nearest train station is in Modica, a 15-minute walk or five-minute drive from Casa Talia, from where you can reach Syracuse in under two hours. Casa Talia will pick you up from the station for free. It’s possible to get to the Italian mainland without leaving your train; the carriages simply load onto a ferry across the Strait of Messina. See Trenitalia (www.trenitalia.com) for train times and prices, but railways don’t cover the whole island.

Automobiles

Casa Talia can arrange car hire for guests. The hotel is linked to Syracuse and Catania by the E45 and is half an hour from the coast. There is free parking just 200m from the hotel.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .